The Walking Dead: Ross Marquand Dissects Intense Episode 10×19 (Exclusive)

The Walking Dead Season 10 rolled on with Sunday night’s episode which followed Aaron and Gabriel through the woods and into a game of Russian roulette with a brand new character portrayed by Terminator alum Robert Patrick. The latest hour of the zombie drama called for Gabriel actor Seth Gilliam and Aaron actor Ross Marquand to dial the drama up to 11 as the stakes were as high as can be. Together, the characters were faced with risking their own lives as a means to possibly save the other’s. Add on top of that the fact that this was the first time back on set since the global pandemic began for this cast and Marquand had his hands full with crafting this episode.

“We had very few issues and everyone walked away safe and healthy and I think that we proved that you can get back to work whether it’s this industry or any other industry,” Marquand tells ComicBook.com of the return to The Walking Dead‘s Georgia set in late 2020. That you can safely and effectively get back to work with certain protocols in place.”

Marquand and Gilliam didn’t miss a beat slipping back into their characters despite being surrounded by crew members in masks and being mindful of new safety protocols. Together, they crafted a very intense sequence which unfolded on a dime after the two had spent the night becoming closer friends over a bottle of whiskey and some poker. Ultimately, when Patrick’s Mays tasked them with risking their own lives with one bullet in the chamber of a revolver, they both chose to point the gun at themselves rather than the other knowing there was a bit of a built in safety net for their future if the other survives.

“I think both men were willing to do that because the hope, of course, was that the other man might actually be allowed to be let free,” Marquand says. “And with that assumption, ostensibly he could take care of the other’s daughter and they could carry on and not worry about leaving their daughters unattended. I think that there’s this unspoken bond there with Gabriel and Aaron and that was going to be the case, you know?”

Ultimately, Mays prevent Aaron from truly killing himself when the gun revealed itself to be loaded. When he freed Gabriel and Aaron, Mays was shockingly clubbed to death by the preacher of the bunch who wasn’t willing to take any chances regarding their own safety, leaving Aaron shocked by the decision. “I think it’s certainly redeemable, but I think it’s going to give Aaron pause, and it’s going to make him really question the kind of man Gabriel is moving forward,” Marquand says of Aaron’s perspective of Gabriel now. “I don’t think there’s any way Aaron couldn’t be wildly affected by that and not look at Gabriel as someone who may have changed irrevocably.”

Check out ComicBook.com’s full interview with Marquand about The Walking Dead Episode 10×19 and more below!

Back to Work

ComicBook.com: What was it like to return to work for these additional Season 10 episodes with all of the new COVID-19 protocols and safety measures in place?

Ross Marquand: I think we were all pretty unsure of how it was going to work out because we were one of the first productions coming back to work and we were all comparing notes of experiences we had on other sets and just wanting to make sure that it was absolutely safe to do so. But I got to say, they added, I don’t know if I can disclose this now, but several precautions for each episodes to make sure that we had all the proper amount of PPE, social distancing, to adhere to. We were just doing everything we could to stay as safe as possible and also shooting outdoors most of the time on-site was a big part of that.

So, I’ve got to say, we had very few issues and everyone walked away safe and healthy and I think that we proved that you can get back to work whether it’s this industry or any other industry. That you can safely and effectively get back to work with certain protocols in place.

CB: Was it easy to jump in or was there any sort of distraction in your mind in working under these circumstances?

RM: The distraction was just the fear and anxiety of being around a bunch of people during a pandemic. I mean, that was there, of course. But I think that actually played into the storyline wonderfully because we’re always supposed to be anxious and tired and fearful, so it was pretty perfect. I think it actually informed the storyline more than anything.

Besties?

CB: Going into this episode, would you say Gabriel, who is the Aaron’s best friend right now of everybody who kind of is remaining in the Alexandria area?

RM: I mean, it’s funny because I feel like Gabriel and Aaron were never best friends before this. They were always very good companions and they always respected each other and they were also leaders of Alexandria, but I never got the impression that they were like besties. But I feel like after this episode there’s a real bonding that occurs, but there’s also now this very like uncertain way of looking at each other, especially for Aaron. I think he’s very unsure of the man that he’s come to know over the last several years. Like this new side of Gabriel is quite shocking to air, and I think it’s one that he’s going to have to reconcile moving forward.

He Won’t Be Back

CB: Over the years watching your career, you’ve just checked box after box on what I would assume are bucket list items that you might not have even known you had. Now you worked with Terminator‘s Robert Patrick. What was it like to get in the ring with him and have such intimate and intense sequences?

RM: Well, I was, to be honest, a little bit intimidated and a little nervous when he signed on. Not because I’d heard anything bad about him, just that I didn’t know much about his demeanor because he always plays these harsh, very domineering characters. And you know, sometimes the actor doesn’t stray far from the characters they portray. But the opposite was true for Robert. He couldn’t have been nicer. Just like when I say an absolute joy to work with, I mean, in every way, shape and form he was professional kind, courteous. Just a really, really good person to work with.

And I am sorry that we killed him off so fast because I really would love it if he would come on the show in a more meaningful capacity and more consistently. But unless we have him in a dream sequence or in a triplet, I don’t think that’s going to happen.

CB: Yeah, you guys killed him off twice.

Ross: Yeah. It’s a shame. It really is. He’s great.

Aaron & Gabe

CB: In the Russian roulette scene, Aaron chooses himself to risk killing. I’d love to hear your take on why he chose himself and was willing to make that sacrifice right there in that moment rather than point the gun at Gabriel.

RM: Well, I think both men were willing to do that because the hope, of course, was that the other man might actually be allowed to be let free. And with that assumption, ostensibly he could take care of the other’s daughter and they could carry on and not worry about leaving their daughters unattended. I think that there’s this unspoken bond there with Gabriel and Aaron and that was going to be the case, you know?

So, I love that they never even thought about turning the gun on each other. I think that that would have been such a departure for both of them. And even though Gabriel believes that there’s evil people in the world, they’re not the exception any more than they are the rule. I don’t think that he himself believes that he’s evil. And I don’t think that he is. I think that he is still very much aware of his own goodness and compassion, and that’s why he keeps turning the gun on himself. And that’s why Erin keeps turning the gun on himself as well.

CB: It’s interesting you say that because my next question is about how they’ve developed this bond and then at the end of the episode, the look of shock on your face when Gabe clubs Mays in the head. That was a big, I think, pivotal moment for that relationship with Aaron and Gabe. Is that redeemable? Where does that put them?

RM: I think it’s certainly redeemable, but I think it’s going to give Aaron pause, and it’s going to make him really question the kind of man Gabriel is moving forward. I don’t think there’s any way Aaron couldn’t be wildly affected by that and not look at Gabriel as someone who may have changed irrevocably. And maybe it’s a change that’s for the better. Maybe it’s a change that will make him a more proactive leader. But Aaron, I think is always hoping to believe in the goodness of people. And they think that’s the one thing that they really shared more than anything. So it is going to be interesting to see how they navigate this landscape moving forward. If Gabriel’s going to be much more harsh and unforgiving, or if he’s going to slowly come back to where he has been with Aaron.

The Final Season

CB: Have you shot anything for Season 11 yet, the final season?

RM: Yes. I worked on the first episode and I’m gearing up to do another one here soon. So it’s great. It’s great to have everybody back together again. Of course, we’re all still very cautiously optimistic that we’re going to get through the shooting on time and everything, but it really does require so much more discipline than ever before. Everyone is social distancing at all times. We’re resisting the urge to hug each other because we’re a very affectionate crew and we like to give each other hugs and high-fives and we just have to stop doing that. We really just have to kind of stay away from each other now. And that’s a big transition. I’m not going to lie.

CB: What’s the energy like on set given the fact that this is the home stretch? This is really the end of the show?

RM: Yeah. It’s definitely bittersweet. I mean, I think our goal has always been to tell just as compelling a story as we can every week. And we’ve told a lot of stories. I mean, 11 seasons is nothing to laugh at it. I mean, that’s a huge, huge amount of TV that we’ve put out there and we’re grateful that we have the opportunity to do 24 more episodes. And I’m just excited to see what happens as much as the fans are, because we really don’t know what’s happening week to week until we get those scripts. So it’s exciting. It’s kind of like every week, we’re like a kid on Christmas, unboxing our gifts and finding out what’s going to happen in the story.

CB: Have they given you information about where Aaron’s story goes in the end, or are you going to be kind of finding out when you show up to those last days on set?

RM: Yeah. That’s exactly how it’s going to be. I don’t know anything.

CB: Wow.

RM: I’m not exaggerating. I really don’t know anything. We’ll find out as the fans find out, I guess.

Marvelous Side

CB: You know I’ve got to throw a Marvel question at you. They cast Moon Knight and Oscar Isaac. I know both you and I wanted you in that role! With this ruled out, have their been any developments in the super hero side of your career since Avengers: Endgame?

RM: Well, nothing that I can speak of, of course. With all these projects nowadays, you have to sign NDAs that sign your life away. So I’m excited about some of the projects I’m working on, but I can’t talk about it right now. But back to the Moon Knight, I love Oscar Isaac and I’ve pined over that role for many, many years. So at one point I was bummed out of course, but at the other side of it, I think he’s going to do such an amazing job of that. I can’t think of a better actor to have chosen. So I’m really excited to see what he does with that character.